Foundation garment



Nov. 24, 1953 G. DIEBOLD, 2,659,889

FOUNDATION GARMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 20, 1952 LNVENTOR.

Cie gfgelflzlebald,

'Nov. 24, 1953 INVENTOR.

Geozgelflebold,

Patented Nov. 24, 1953 um'reo orrice aesassa QUN JA'EI fieorge I. Diebold, 'Ghlcago, 1-11., assignor to. Venu Founda ion demeri s. I d, Chica o. l a cor ra efied of; elawar Application May 20, 1952 S erial No. 288,923

This invention relates to improvements in foundation garments and more particularly to a novel and improved girdle construction.

For satisfactory performance a gird-1e should provide the wearer with an attractive rear contour when standing, i. e. the desired flattening of the buttocks in both horizontal and vertical planes or cross-sections. In addition, the garment must also be comfortable when the wearer is sitting or bending. Numerous girdle constructions have been proposed utilizing various combinatio'n's of rigid and elastic materials for the back portion or rear of the garment to approximate these objectives, but in most instances the garment has failed to provide the desired performance during use in one or several important respects.

The provision of a single rear panel of rigid or non-elastic material is unsatisfactory principally because of lack of comfort during bending] or sitting. A single one-way horizontal stretch panel permits greater comfort for the wearer but fails to provide adequate flattening or contour control in horizontal cross-section because of' the uncontrolled horizontal stretchability of the panel. A single panel at the rear of one-way vertical stretch material is likewise inadequate because it fails to provide the required flattening effect in vertical cross-section In addition, in the case of a single rear panel of rigid material or one-way vertical stretch material, the substantial; width and horizontal non-elasticity of the Panel limits the flatte ef c there f. and there is a so. a definit te d n y tor t e w d panel to b ll o bu un ce tain ci umstan es. e se o a sin e panel of. two-way stret h mater al at the r of. the. ga ment doe no s l e. t e. di icu ty because. it merely introduces. a combination of he foregoing defects.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of my invention to. provide, a novel rear panel. construction for foundation garments which overcomes. the def eets and objections heretofore noted in articles of thi c aract r.

A further object of the. invention is to provide a, no el rear a el nstruction for. fou dat n garments, such as girdles and the like, which provides the wearer with the. desired. attractive l4 G aim (01.21 71) re rco tou when s andin a d is a so comfortab e when th wearer is itt n or eadin s A other o ject or the i vention is to. rovid impr v d multi panel construct on. o th rearpor i n f foundation garments which affords. greaterand more selective contour con-- trol. than he et re a a b e in such. garments.-

Gther objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the subsequent. de: tailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein;

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a girdle embodying the principles of my invention;

Fig. 2; is a rear elevational view of the girdle seeninFig. 1';-

3 is a plan viewof the interior of the. garment as the latter would look if broken and spre o Fig. 4 isa front elevational view of a girdle em! body'ing a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a rearelevational view of the girdle shown inFig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the interior of the. garment shown in Figs. 4 and 5 as the latter would look if broken and spread out. b

Although the invention is hereinafter described in connection with a girdle, it willbe understood that the principles involved are equally applicable to other types of garments such as panty girdles and all-in-one combination garments having a bu t or brassiere top.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3, my invention resides primarily in a novel back portion for the girdle including a main panel of horizontally stretchable materiai and a pair of relatively narrow elongated control panels secured to the main panel and disposed in transversely spaced relation. The material of the control panels may be the same as the main panel or it may have substantially greater resistance to horizontal stretch ing or elongation than the main panel. The cont l Pane s are 59. ocat a to e i t e butoc ss. o th arer du i uses i e ee ere nafter. the. effect of. he con r l p nels isv o provide spaced areas or regions at the rear of the garment which have a. l sser de re of, orizonta s r toh b i y e tensibi ity than. the. main panel or. ob ainin he. de d. ont r contro and flattening action in horizontal cross-section w ile at the sa e m he. ma n. p n l p m the requ r d expansion or pro din oomio durin b ndin and s ttin in. Fig. 1. a treat i w o the arm is hown for the salge. of completeness although the particua constr c ion o th fr n r i n o the earrn ent. does, not. form, any part of the present in- YQB It he. em od m nt illu tra ed n F esl v he ront porti n. o t e gird e comprises twmpart. main elastic panel H, preferably haviris o rizoniel and, ertic l ret habilitr o NY an airon nsert lfitted bet een theme eerie o he recall and.- adapted vmeans. of peripheral stitching.

vided, as at H.

The rear portion of the garment whicli com prises the principal feature of the presentinven tion is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. In this embodiment, the back portion includes a main panel 0. customary zipper or like closure means being pro zontal cross-section. The transversely spaced relation of the control panels 2| not only serves to position the panels over the respective buttocks but also permits the horizontally stretchable material comprising the main panel l8 to act on each of the opposite vertical sides of the control panels whereby to provide horizontal tension at each side of the control panels.

' Although in the above-described embodiment the material of the control panels 2| has a lesser degree of horizontal stretchability or extensibility than the-material of the main panel l8, it is also within the scope of my invention to utilize the same material for the panels 2| as in the panel I3 extending across substantially the entire width of the garment and being formed of a material having substantial horizontal stretchability or extensibility. In the preferred form of the invention, the main panel. i8 is extensible both horizontally and vertically. For example, the twoway. stretch material known to the trade as a Leno weave fabric having elastic or rubber yarns both in the filling and the warp may be employed. However, it is also within the scope of my invention toemploy a material having extensibility in both horizontal and vertical directions but having a true elasticstretchability in only one direction. For example, a Leno weave fabric having elastic or rubber warp yarns and rigid filling yarns of rayon or the like will provide the desired action since this fabric-can be used to form a main panel |8 whichiis truly elastic in a horizontal direction but is capable of elongation or extensibility by distortion in a vertical direction. Another material having these desired characteristics is known in the trade aselastic net. Thus, it is to be understood that vwhenI refer to a material having both horizontal and vertical stretchability or extensibility, it is intendedto include not only the conventional two-way stretch elastic fabrics but also the materials which give substantially the same results even though not strictly known as two-way elastic stretch materials. I

"For ease of fabrication, the main rear panel I8 may be formed with a central longitudinal seam l9 if desired. In addition, the usual rear stiffening elements extend downwardly adjacent the upper edge of the backportion of the garment.

Thenovel aspect of my invention resides in'a pair of relatively narrow vertical elongated control panels 2| which, in the present embodiment, are shown as superimposed over the main panel i8 at the inside thereof and appliqued thereto by The control panels 2| are disposed in transversely spaced relation on the main panel-l8 so as to overlie the buttocks of the wearer during use. The control panels 2| in this instance are formed from a material'having a lesser degree of horizontal that portion of the underlying main panel IE to which the control panels are attached and thereby provides the desired degree of contour control and flattening action on the. buttocks in hori- "I 8. In such case the superimposed relation of the control panels'ZI over the main panel l8 produces a double thickness of material so that the regions or areas of the garment covered by or within the confines of the control panels 2| have a greater resistance to horizontal stretching or extension than the main panel l8. Thus, the result obtained by the effect of the double thickness of material is equivalent to the result obtained when the material of the panels 2| has lesser horizontal stretchability or extensibility than the panel I8.

Another feature of the invention resides in the peripheral contour or configuration of the control panels 2|. As will be evident from the drawing, the panels 2| have generally curved side edges tapering toward the opposite ends of the panels so that the panels 2| are widest at their intermediate or central portions. In Fig. 2, a broken line 22 has been drawn to locate in schematic fashion the buttocks of the wearer during use of the garment, and it will be evident that the widest portions of the control panels 2| are disposed over the fattest regions of the buttocks thereby exerting the maximum flattening action in these regions where it is most needed.

By the foregoing combination of a horizontally stretchable or extensible main panel and the pair of control panels imparting a lesser degree of horizontal extensibility, I am able to accomplish both of the aforementioned objectives of a girdle construction, namely,.the provision of adequate contour control when standing and substantial comfort during sitting or bending, in a novel and highly successful manner.

Referring now to Figs. 4-6, there is shown a slightly different embodiment of the invention involving the same principle of using a pair of transversely spaced control panels to limit the horizontal stretchability or extensibility of the main rear panel over the fatty regions of the buttocks. Fig. 4 shows the front of the garment for completeness, but again the front construction forms no part of the present invention. In this instance the front of the girdle has .a twopart main elastic body 23 with a somewhat difiere'ntly shaped restraining insert 24 adapted to overlie the abdomen as before. A side stiffening element 25 isprovided at one side of the garment adjacent a side seam 2B and a zipper closure 21 is provided at the other side with a seam28 therebelow. Additional stiifeners 29 (Fig. 6) extend downwardly from the upper edge of the girdle at the front thereof. v

In this embodiment, the rear portion of the girdle (Fig. 5) has a multiple piece or interrupted construction including a, pair of side portions 30 which are connected to the front portion 23 by the seams 26 and 28. Instead of the superimposed or appliqued relation of the control panels to the garment body as described in connection with Figs. 1 -3, the present embodiment pro- 'vides a pair or oontrol'panels in the form of transversely. spaced relation as before." The panels 31:, although of somewhat modified con figuration as compared to. the panels 2 l, are also widest at their central portions and are tapered slightly from their central portions to their" ends for the same reasons discussed above. As in the first described form of the invention, the'material forming the control panels 31 has lesser horizontal stretchability or extensibility than the material forming the portions 30 and 32 so that the desired contour control is obtained over the buttocks region. Preferably, the portions 30 32 have, two-way extensibility and the inserts 3| are extensible vertically but substantially non-e3 tensible horizontally. A pair of stiifeners 34' also extend down from the upper edge of the garment at the rear thereof.

Although the invention has been described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it will be. understood that various modi' fications and alternative constructions may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. licllaim: 1. In a garment of the character described having. connected front and back portions, a back portion comprising a main panel 'ofhorizontally stretchable material and a pair of elongated control panels having their longitudinal dimensions extending vertically relative to said main panel and disposed in transversely spaced relation with part of said main panel secure u terebetween to the side edges of said control panels, said control panels having greater resistance to horizontal stretching than said mainpanel and being spaced a predetermined "distance whereby to overlie the respective buttock areas of the wearer during use.

2. In a garment of the character described having cgnnected front and back portions, a back portion comprising ahorizontally and vertically stretchable main panel extending substantially the entire width ot the garment; and a pair of elongated control panels having their longitudinal dimensions extending vertically relative to said main panel and having substantially greater resistance to horizontal stretching but having substant ally no greater resistance to vertical stretchmg than said main panel, said control panels being" transversely spaced from each other and from the sides of saidmain panel a predetermined distance whereby to overlie the respective buttock areas of the wearer during use and said control panels being secured along their side edges to said main panel.

3. In a garment of the character described havin connected front and back portions, a back portion comprising a pair of elongated vertically extending control panels transversely spaced a predetermined distance whereby to overlie the respective buttock areas of the wearer during use, and a main panel of horizontally and vertically elastic material extending between said control panels and adjacent the outer edges thereof, said control panels being secured along their side edges to said main panel and extending vertically relative to said main panel, and said control panels having substantially greater resistance to horizontal stretching but havingsub stantially no greater resistance to vertical stretching than said main'p'anel' whereby tdiacilitate contour control and flattening in horizontal crosssection substantially entirely by the increased resistanceto horizontal stretching in said areas. 4. In a garment of the character described having connected front and back portions, a back portion comprising a pair of elongated control panels having substantially no horizontal stretchability and transversely spaced a predetermined distance whereby to overlie the respective buttock areas of the wearer during use, and a main panel of horizontally stretchable elasticmaterial having ace'nter' portion between said control panels and side portions at the outer'sidesof said control panels, said'control panels extendingyert'ically relative to "said main paneland being secured along their respective side edges to said center portion and said side portions of said main panel whereby to provide horizontal tension at eaeh side of said control'p'a nels for exerting substan tial'flatteni'ngand "contour control over thebut tocks'r'e'gion' in horizontal cross-section.

5; In a garment of the character described having connected front and back portions, a back portion comprisinga main panel of elastic material extensible both horizontally and vertically, and a pair of'tran'sversely spaced control panels extending vertically relative to said main panel and made erasea vertically stretchable material having substantially no 'horiz'ontalstretchability, said control panels bein secured alon their side edges to said main panel with part of the main panel therebetween, and said control panels being spaced a predetermined distance whereby to overlie the respective buttock areas of't'he wearer during use.

"6. In a g'arrnent of the character described having connected front and back portions, a back portion comprising a main panel of horizontally stretchable material, and a pair of vertical elongated control panels having their longitudinal dimensions extending vertically relative to said main panel superimposed over said main panel andconlr ected thereto in transversely spaced relation part of said main panel therebetween, said control panels having substantially greater resistance to horizontal stretching than said main p a h el'arid being spaced at predetermined distance wherebyto overlie'the respective buttockareas of the wearer during use. 7. In garment of the character described having connected front and back portions, a back portion comprising a main'panel of elastic mates extensible both horizontally and vertically,

and a ai of vertical elongated control panels of one-way vertically stretchable material having substantially no horizontal stretchability superimposed over said main panel in transversely spaced relation and connected to said main panel with part of said main panel therebetween and with the longitudinal dimensions of said control panels extending vertically relative to said main panel, said control panels being spaced a predetermined distance whereby to overlie the respec tive buttock areas of the wearer during use for exerting a controlled flattening effect thereon.

8. In a garment of the character described having connected front and back portions, 21 back portion comprisin a main panel of elastic material stretchable horizontally and a pair of transversely spaced elongated vertical control panels connected at their opposite sides to said main panel with part of said main panel therebetween and with the longitudinal dimensions of said control panels extending vertically relative to said main panel, said control panels being spaced a predetermined distance whereby to overlie the respective buttock areas of the wearer during use, and said control panels having greater resistance to horizontal stretching than said main panel and being widest at their central portions intermediate their upper and lower end portions whereby to provide the greatest flattening effect and contour control at the fattest portions of the buttocks.

,9. In a garment of the character described having connected front and back portions, a back portion comprising a pair of spaced vertical control panels adapted to overlie the buttocks of the wearer during use and a main panel of elastic horizontally stretchable material extending between and adjacent the outer side edges of said control panels with said control panels extend ing Vertically relative to said main panel and being connected along their side edges to said main panel, said control panels having substantially greater resistance to horizontal stretching than said main panel and having generally. curved side edges tapering toward the opposite ends thereof whereby the widest portions of said control panels are adapted to be disposed over the fattest regions of the buttocks for exerting the greatest flattening efiect at said regions.

10. In a garment of the character described having connected front and back portions, a back portion comprising a pair of vertical control panels spaced transversely a predetermined distance whereby to overlie the respective buttock areas of the wearer during use and having substantial resistance to horizontal stretching, and elastic horizontally stretchable'panel means having said control panels connected thereto along the respective side edges of said control panels between the latter and at the outer sides thereof for exerting buttocks-flattening tension on said control panels, said control panels extending vertically relative to said panel means and the width of said control panels being greatest at their central portions intermediate their upper and lower end portions for exerting maximum flattening action at the fattest portions of the buttocks.

11. In a garment of the character described having connected front and back portions, a back portion comprising a main panel of horizontally and vertically extensible material, and a pair of elongated vertical control panels of one-way vertically stretchable material superimposed in transversely spaced relation on said main panel and connected thereto adjacent the edges of said control panels with part of the main panel between said control panels, said control panels having their longitudinal dimensions extending vertically relative to'said main panel and being spaced a predetermined distance whereby to overlie the respective buttock areas of the wearer during use and having relatively wide central portions with tapered upper and lower end portions whereby the widest portions of the control panels are adapted to be disposed over the fattest regions of the buttocks for exerting the greatest flattening efiect at said regions.

12. In a garment of the character described having connected front and back portions, a back portion comprising a mainpanel of material having substantial horizontal extensibility, and a pair of control panels comprising elongated'inserts bodily interposed in said main panel in transversely spaced relation and having their longitudinal dimensions extending vertically relative to said main panel whereby portions of said main panel are disposed at the outer edges of said inserts and also between the latter, said inserts being secured along their side edges to the respective edges of said main panel and being of material having substantially greater resistance to horizontal extension than said main panel and being spaced a predetermined distance whereby to overlie the respective buttock areas of the wearer during use.

13. The article of claim 12 further characterized in that the material of said main panel is extensible both horizontally and vertically and the material of said inserts is extensible vertically but substantially non-extensible horizontally.

14. In a garment of the character described, a front and a back, the back having a substantially vertical central strip portion which is horizontally extensible and also having substantially vertical control strip portions on each side of said central strip portion of substantially greater resistance to horizontal extension than said central portion, said control strip portions extending vertically relative to the back of the garment and being secured along their side edges to said central strip portion and being spaced transversely a predetermined distance whereby to overlie the respective buttock areas of the wearer during use.

GEORGE L. DIEBOLD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,328,385 Mahler Aug. 31, 1943 2,338,193 McMichael Jan. 4, 1944 2,464,121 Diebold Mar. 8, 1949 2,548,730 Kunstadter Apr. 10, 1951 2,634,417 Kaplan Apr. 14, 1953 

